1962 Fleetwood Transmission leak

[kbtl4]

Guys -  would like to ask for your help.  Prior to this, I've not had any trouble.  About a month ago, I drained the transmission fluid from the pan drain and refilled...warmed it up and topped it off with some Lucas to the full mark on the dip stick.  Shifted very, very well.  The next day, a big mess of trans fluid on the garage floor.....and I mean a lot.  At this point, the level (while engine warm) is just below the add mark on the dip stick.  Topped off again to the full mark.  I laid under the car for a couple of hours and nothing, but after setting over night, the same mess.  I checked around and  it's not coming from the fill/dip stick tube nor can I really find where it's coming from due to the amount of fluid and not being around when it happens.  This past week-end, drained again, both plugs, dropped the pan and replaced the filter.  Refilled with 8.5 quarts per the specs in the book I have.  Drove and  shifted very well but the dip stick only reached the "add" 1 pint on the dip stick.  Looked underneath and nothing leaking....but Sunday morning, more had "burped" out.  Not nearly as much as before......can you fill me in on what I'm doing wrong?  I'd greatly appreciate it....thanks in advance, john hopper, houston, tx

[Dave Shepherd]

Burped out usually means overflow from the vent, you need to pinpoint the source of the leak, try and catch it when it first leaks, or get dye tracer for the trans, there is no way to tell where it is, from here.

[Roger Zimmermann]

When the engine is not running, there is still a lot of oil in the fluid coupling. After some time, that oil is getting down into the pan/case. After a while, the level of the oil is higher than the "full" mark. I suspect that your oil is coming from the fill tube. There is an "O" ring into the case; with the time is get hard and cannot keep the oil. Take some oil out, replace that O ring, check if the surface in contact with the O ring is clean, round and not rusted.

Another possibility is that the pan is not really flat (with overtorqued screws) and let the fluid getting out when the level is increasing. Anyway, as Dave wrote, you have to investigate a little bit more. I would drive the car, clean the case and spray some flour or talcum powder; you will see then immediately where is the oil coming out.
Roger